function validateForm() {
    var msg = document.getElementById("alertSpan");    
    msg.innerHTML = "";
     
    //check the paper title
    if (!checkBlank("ArtTitle", "Alert: Paper title is mandatory!"))
        return false;
    
    //paper ID
    if (!checkBlank("ArtId", "Alert: Paper ID is mandatory!"))
        return false;
    
    //author
    if (!checkBlank("AuthName", "Alert: Author name is mandatory!"))
        return false;
    
    //email
    if (!checkBlank("AuthEmail", "Alert: Author email is mandatory!"))
        return false;
    
    return true;
}


function checkBlank(formField, msg) {
    var f = document.forms["eCF"][formField];
    var msgSpan = document.getElementById("alertSpan");
    if (f.value == null  || f.value == "") {
        f.focus();
        msgSpan.innerHTML = msg;
        return false;
    }    
    return true;
}